A Texas Rottweiler once known as Bear was recently rescued from a Colorado highway three years after he disappeared from his backyard. But instead of your typical heartwarming reunification story, this tale involves a pup caught between two families who both wanted to keep him.
Texas Rottweiler Disappears From Backyard
Back in 2020, the Rottweiler vanished from a backyard in the Lone Star State. His dog dad thought that Bear had been stolen, but in fact, it seems the pup just escaped. He was eventually picked up as a stray and taken to a Pecos, Texas, shelter. Shortly thereafter, a couple adopted the pooch, gave him a new name, and relocated with him to Colorado.
Bear apparently considers himself an escape artist, because he again fled his home. Last Thursday, he ended up on U.S. 36 near Westminster, Colorado. The pup was running around in traffic and had to be rescued by a civilian.
“I saw this dog run across the highway, and I slammed on my brakes and stopped and opened the door and whistled and tried to get him in the car,” Jessica Misegadis, a regular commuter on that route, told 9 News.
Misegadis knew what she had to do: save the dog from a potential traffic disaster.
“I was honking my horn so people would look around and wonder why my hazards were on because it was crazy traffic and cars were flying by,” she said.
She reported that Bear displayed no aggressiveness toward her.
“He was just the sweetest, and you could just tell he was a good boy,” she said.
Even though they were only together for a brief period of time, Misegadis said she felt bonded with the pup. “Just the circumstances or whatever it was, it was a home run – he needed help and I was there,” she said.
Dog Caught Between Two Families
Once Bear was safely out of harm’s way, the Good Samaritan took him to the local police department. The dog was scanned by an animal management officer and a microchip revealed that he was from Texas and had been reported missing. Bear’s original dog dad was contacted – and he was over the moon to hear that Bear was safe and sound, even if he was all the way in Colorado.
“We called the owner, and he was ecstatic and looking forward to the reunion of his dog Bear,” Sgt. Ray Esslinger of the Westminster Police Department told 9 News.
A reunion between Bear and his dog dad from Texas was arranged to take place at the Foothills Animal Shelter, where Bear was transferred because dogs aren’t allowed to stay overnight at the police department.
But before Bear could reunite with his Texas dog dad, another twist in this chaotic tale occurred. Bear’s Colorado family realized the dog was missing and contacted the shelter. After showing their adoption paperwork, they were allowed to take the canine home.
According to Connie Howard, executive director of Foothills Animal Shelter, Bear’s dog dad in Texas was “sad but understanding.”
